Wedgie type shoe



May 16, 1950 T'. E. NEAL WEDGIE TYPE SHOE Filed July 24, 1947 Inventor Thomas E. Neal Patented May 16, 195% UNITED SATES PATENT OFFICE WEDGIE TYPE SHOE Thomas E. Neal, Chicago, 111.

Application July 24, 1947, Serial N 0. 763,288

4 Claims.

lh'e present invention relates to shoes of the wedge heel type, and more particularly to such shoes of the high heel-platform inner sole variety. It is a general object of the present invention to provide a shoe of improved construction and arrangement rendering it both of novel design and of addition-a1 functional utility.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a shoeof the wedge heel type a compartment having a closure member afiording access to the compartment and lending attractive appearance to the shoe.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination shoe and safe for valuables or other articles.

Further features of the invention pertain to the particular construction and arrangement of the shoe; whereby the above outlined and additional features thereof are attained.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view, taken from the inside, partly broken away, of a shoe, illustrating the door thereof in closed position, and embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the shoe, shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the door thereof in open position; and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary lateral sectional view of the shoe, taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, of the drawing, the shoe It there illustrated, and embodying the features of the present'invention, is of the high wedge heel-platform inner sole type comprising an upper H of the open-toe slipper variety, an ankle strap 52, a substantially fiat outer sole it, an inner sole it and an interposed platform 55. The ball-supporting surface bio of the inner sole it is spaced above and substantially parallel to the corresponding surface of the outer sole [3; and the arch-supporting surface Mb and the heel-s-upporting surface Me of the inner sole hi are spaced above and sharply rearwardly inclined with respect to the corresponding surfaces of the outer sole !3; whereby the platform 55 terminate in a wedge-shaped portion 65a disposed below the arch-supporting surface Mb and the heel-supporting surface Me of the inner sole M.

A compartment I6 is formed in the wedgeshaped portion We of the platform 15 and disthe inner sole Id; which compartment lfi' is provided-with-an opening 15a affording access thereinto and extending through the inside side-wall of the platform it. The outline of the opening Iia conforms generally to that of the wedgeshaped portion lE-a of the platform :5 in order to lend an attractive design to the inside side wall of the platform andto break-up the apparent expanse of the inside side-wall of the platform It. A. liner I! is arranged Within the compartment it and conforms to the wall surfacethereof; the liner 1''! including a-substantially horizontal bottom wall it, asubstantially vertical end wall it, a connecting arcuate-s-haped combination top and end wall zoand a rear wall 21. The liner I? may be formed of metahof moldedplastic, or of any other suitable material; and is preferably pres'esd into firm engagement with the walls of the platform l5 surrounding the compartment it formed therein; whereby the liner ll constitutes a finished shell lining the compartment 5'6 and adapted to receivevaluables or other articles. Preferably, the inside marginal edges of the bottom wall 88, the end wall it and the combination top and end wall 28 disposed adjacent'to the opening Sta formed in the inside side-wall of the platform l5 terminate a short distance below the inside side-wall of the platform 15. Finally, a closure member 22 in the form of a door conforming to the configuration of the opening its formed in the inside side-wall of the platform to is hinged adjacent the rear edge thereof to the adjacent edge of the end wall it of the liner 1? by an arrangementincluding two hinges 23; the pintles'of the hinges projecting slightly beyond the door 22 and the adjacent inside side-wall of the platform it in order to lend additional ornamentation. When the door 22 occupies its closed position, the outersurface thereof is disposed substantially flush with and merging into the inside side-wall of the platform 15 to provide a finished appearance. Moreover, the inner surface of the door 22 disposed adjacent to the boundary thereof engages the adjacent marginal edges of the bottom wall it, the end wall 19, and the combination top and end wall 2t in order to seal the compartment it formed within the liner ll. Finally, the inner surface of the door 22 adjacent to the forward edge thereof carries a lock 24 provided with a retractable latch 25 adapted to cooperate with a keeper 25a, carried on the adjacent inner surface of the combination top and end wall 20 in order to retain the door 22 in its closed position. Also the door 22 has a keyhole 26 formed therein through which a key 21 may be inserted into the look 24 in order to retract the latch 25 when it is desirable to unlock the door 22 and move it to its open position. The key 21 may be permanently secured by a wire, cord or the like 28, to the end of the ankle strap l2 in order further to lend ornamentation to the shoe ill.

of course it will be understood that the general outline of the compartment l6 formed in the wedge-shaped porition la of the platform l5 may be varied so that the conforming door 22 may have other ornamental configurations. Moreover, a latch mechanism may be substituted for the lock mechanism 24 and provided with a thumb bolt for retracting the latch 25, thereby eliminating the necessity of the key 21. Finally, it will be understood that the outer surface of the platform I 5 and the outer surface of the door 22 are provided with a covering of leather, fabric or other ornamental material in accordance with conventional design; which material may be the same as that of the upper H and the anke strap i2 01 contrasting therewith in accordance with the usual flexibility of design factors. Finally the platform IS, the door 22, the upper H and the strap 12, or any one or combination thereof, may carry other ornamentation.

The arrangement of the opening lBa into the compartment [5 through the inside side-wall of the platform i5 is very advantageous in view of the fact that ready access may be gained into the compartment 16 by a woman wearing the shoe merely by crossing her legs. Also this position of the opening [5a into the compartment [6 causes the door 22 to occupy a position wherein the key 27 may be readily inserted through the key hole 28 into the lock 24 in order to retract the latch 25. The volume of the compartment it may be considerably varied, although it is contemplated that it be large enough to receive a womans coin purse as well as her cosmetic accessories. Of course, the construction and arrangement above described may be incorporated in an evening shoe, a beach shoe or general-purpose shoe; however, it is considered to be highly advantageous when incorporated either in an evening shoe or in a beach shoe.

In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a combination shoe of the high wedge heel platform inner sole type and safe for valuables or other articles; wherein the door to the compartment formed in the safe is arranged to lend ornamental design to the inside side-wall of the platform.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a shoe of the wedge heel type including a substantially wedge-shaped platform arranged between the inner sole and the outer sole thereof and disposed below the heel-supporting surface and the arch-supporting surface of the inner sole; said platform having a compartment formed therein disposed below the arch-supporting surface of the inner sole, the inside sidewall of said platform having an opening formed therein communicating with said compartment, and a hinged cover for closing said opening.

2. In a shoe of the wedge heel type including a substantially Wedge-shaped platform arranged between the inner sole and the outer sole thereof and disposed below the heel-supporting surface and the arch-supporting surf-ace of the inner sole; said platform having a compartment formed therein disposed below the arch-supporting surface of the inner sole, the inside sidewall of said platform having an opening formed therein communicating with said compartment, a frame arranged within said opening, and a, hinged cover for closing said opening carried by said frame.

3. In a shoe of the wedge heel type including a substantially wedge-shaped platform arranged between the inner sole and the outer sole thereof and disposed below the heel-supporting surface and the arch-supporting surface of the inner sole; said platform having a compartment formed therein and communicating with the exterior through an opening formed in the inside sidewall thereof, a liner arranged within said compartment and terminating in a frame surrounding said opening, and a hinged cover carried by said frame and merging with the inside sidewall of said platform when in closed position.

4. A shoe comprising a sole, a shank, a heel, a bridge connecting said sole with said heel, said shank, heel and bridge defining a compartment in a transverse relation with the shoe, a wall at one side of the shoe connecting said shank, heel and bridge, said wall defining one end of said compartment, and a movable closure at the opposite side of the shoe disposed between said shank, heel and bridge, said closure being receivable at the opposite end of said compartment.

THOMAS E. NEAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,751,069 Blain Mar. 18, 1930 2,291,791 Casserd Aug. 4, 1942 

